While many think of hyenas as scavengers – as they steal most of their food from lions, they are also extremely adept hunters, chasing down prey across the savannah at impressive speeds.
Hyenas can work together to bring down surprisingly large animals, such as zebras, buffaloes and giraffes – and have even been known to attack lions.
These impressive photos show the raw power, intelligence and brutality of hyenas in action across the African plains.
These incredible images show the raw power and brutal determination of these killer predators.
8 powerful hyena photos
Spotted hyenas engaging in intense competition for food on a grassy plain, displaying their trademark aggression as they vie for dominance (credit: Getty Images)A lioness escapes a pack of spotted hyenas (credit: Getty Images)Two hyenas fighting in river in Narok, Kenya (credit: Getty Images)A spotted hyena chases Rüppell’s vultures away from its zebra foal kill on the dusty savannah of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania (credit: Getty Images)A hyena launches into his meal, while vultures look on in Masai Mara, Kenya (credit: Getty Images)Spotted hyenas attack a pride of lions (credit: Getty Images)Two hyenas attack a zebra in a meadow in the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya (credit: Getty Images)Hyena with the head of a topi (a type of antelope found in the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa), while being chased by clan member on grass plains in Serengeti national Park, Tanzania (credit: Getty Images)
This article by Freya Parr was first published by Discover Wildlife on 15 November 2025.
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